The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations/Prayers at Mass
Prayers at Mass.
IN the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
A PRAYER AT THE BEGINNING OF MASS.
O ALMIGHTY Lord of heaven and earth, behold I, a wretched sinner, presume to appear before thee this day, to offer up to thee by the hands of our High Priest, Jesus Christ, thy Son, the sacrifice of his Body and Blood, in union with the sacrifice which he offered to thee upon the cross: first, for thine own honour, praise, adoration, and glory; secondly, in remembrance of his death and passion; thirdly, in thanksgiving for all thy blessings bestowed on thy whole Church, whether triumphant in heaven or militant on earth, and especially for those bestowed on me, the most unworthy of all; fourthly, for obtaining pardon and remission of all my sins, and of those of all others, whether living or dead, for Whom I ought to pray; and lastly, for obtaining all graces and blessings both for myself and for thy whole Church. Oh! be thou pleased to assist me by thy grace, that I may live this day as I ought to do, in thy divine presence, and that I may so commemorate the death and passion of thy Son, as to partake most plentifully of the fruits thereof: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
A PRAYER AT THE CONFITEOR.
O BLESSED Trinity, one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, prostrate in spirit before thee, I here confess, in the sight of the whole court of heaven, and of all thy faithful, my innumerable treasons against thy divine Majesty. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned: I have grievously offended thee through the whole course of my life, in thought, word, and deed, and therefore am unworthy to lift my eyes to heaven, or so much as to name thy sacred name: how much more am I unworthy to appear here in thy sanctuary, and to assist among thy angels at these heavenly mysteries, which require so much purity; because Jesus Christ himself is here in person both Priest and Victim! But, O my God, thy mercies are above all thy works, and thou wilt not despise a contrite and humble heart; and therefore I here venture to come into thy presence, and with the poor publican, and, as I hope, with the same penitential spirit, I strike my breast, and say, O God, be merciful to me a sinner; O God, be merciful to me a sinner; O God, be merciful to me a sinner. And I humbly hope to find this mercy which I crave, through that passion and death which is here celebrated. O Fountain of mercy, grant this mercy to me and to all poor sinners. Amen.
A PRAYER AT THE INTROIT.
GRANT, O Lord, that we may be truly prepared for offering this great sacrifice to thee this day; and because our sins alone can render us displeasing to thee, therefore we cry aloud to thee for mercy.
THE KYRIE ELEISON.
HAVE mercy on us, O Lord, and forgive us all our sins; and though we have nothing of our own to move thy goodness, let our persevering prayers prevail. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
THE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS.
GLORY be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise thee, we bless thee, we adore thee, we glorify thee. We give thee thanks for thy great glory, O Lord God, O heavenly King, O God the Father Almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son! O Lord God! O Lamb of God! O Son of the Father! O thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. O thou who takest away the sins of the world, hear our prayer; O thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For thou only art holy; thou only art Lord; thou only art most high, O Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
A PRAYER AT THE COLLECTS.
O ALMIGHTY and eternal God, we humbly beseech thee mercifully to give ear to the prayers here offered thee by thy Priest, in the name of thy whole Church, and in behalf of us thy people. Accept them to the honour of thy name, and the good of our souls; and grant to us all mercy, grace, and salvation: through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
ON THE FESTIVAL OF A SAINT.
GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the examples of thy saints may effectually move us to reform our lives, that while we celebrate their festivals, we may also imitate their actions: through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
A PRAYER AT THE EPISTLE.
THOU hast vouchsafed, O Lord, to teach us thy sacred truths by the prophets and apostles. Oh! grant that we may so improve by their doctrine and examples in the love of thy holy name, and of thy holy law, that we may show forth by our lives whose disciples we are; that we may no longer follow the corrupt inclinations of flesh and blood, but master all our passions; that we may be ever directed by thy light, and strengthened by thy grace, to walk in the Way of thy commandments, and to serve thee with clean hearts: through our Lord Jesus Christ.
AT THE GRADUAL.
HOW wonderful, O Lord, is thy name in the whole earth! I will bless thee, O Lord, at all times; thy praise shall ever be in my mouth. Be thou my God and my Protector for ever; I will put my whole trust in thee; Oh! let me never be confounded.
AT THE GOSPEL.
MAYST thou be ever adored and praised, O Lord, who, not content to instruct and inform us by thy prophets and apostles, hast even vouchsafed to speak to us by thy only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, commanding us by a voice from heaven to hear him: grant us, O merciful God, the grace to profit by his divine and heavenly doctrine. All that is written of thee, dread Jesus, in thy gospel, is truth itself; nothing but wisdom in thy actions; power and goodness in thy miracles; light and instruction in thy words. With thee, sacred Redeemer, are the Words of eternal life; to whom shall we go but thee, eternal Fountain of Truth? Give me, O God, grace to practise what thou commandest, and command what thou pleasest.
THE NICENE CREED.
I BELIEVE in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages; God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made; consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried; the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and is to come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who, together with the Father and the Son, is adored and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. And I await the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
AT THE OFFERTORY.
ACCEPT, O eternal Father, this offering which is here made to thee by thy Priest, in the name of us all here present, and of thy whole Church. It is as yet only bread and wine, but, by a miracle of thy power and grace, will shortly become the Body and Blood of thy beloved Son. He is our High Priest, and our Victim. With him and through him we desire to approach to thee this day, and by his hands to offer thee this sacrifice, for thine own honour, praise, and glory; in thanksgiving for all thy benefits; in satisfaction for all our sins, and for obtaining conversion for all unbelievers, and mercy, grace, and salvation for all thy faithful. And with this offering of thine only begotten Son, we offer ourselves to thee, begging, that by virtue of this sacrifice we may be happily united to thee, and that nothing in life or death may ever separate us any more from thee: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
AT THE LAVABO, OR WASHING OF THE FINGERS.
OH, what cleanness and purity of heart ought we to bring with us to this great sacrifice! but, alas! I am a poor unclean sinner. Oh! wash me, dear, Lord, from all the stains of sin in the blood of the Lamb, that I may be worthy to be present. at these heavenly mysteries.
Glory be to the Father, etc.
WHEN THE PRIEST STANDS BOWING DOWN AT THE MIDDLE OF THE ALTAR.
O MOST holy and adorable Trinity, vouchsafe to receive this our sacrifice in remembrance of our Saviour’s passion, resurrection, and glorious ascension: and grant that we may die with him to our sins, rise with him to a new life, and ascend with him to thee. Let those saints, whose memory we celebrate on earth, remember us before thy throne in heaven, and obtain mercy for us: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
AT THE ORATE FRATRES
MAY the Lord receive this sacrifice from thy hands, to the praise and glory of his own name, for our benefit, and that of all his holy Church.
AT THE SECRETA.
MERCIFULLY hear our prayers, O Lord, and graciously accept this oblation which we thy servants make to thee; and as we offer it to the honour of thy name, so may it be to us a means of obtaining thy grace here, and life everlasting hereafter: through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
ON THE FESTIVAL OF A SAINT.
SANCTIFY, O Lord, we beseech thee, these gifts which we offer thee in this solemnity of thy holy servant, and so strengthen us by thy grace, that both in prosperity and adversity our ways may be ever directed to thy honour: through our Lord Jesus Christ.
AFTER THE PRIEST SAYS IN A LOUD VOICE, PER OMNIA SÆCULA SÆCULORUM, SAY:
IT is truly meet and just, right, and available to salvation, that we always and in all places, give thanks to thee, holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ our Lord; by whom the angels praise thy Majesty, the dominations adore it, the powers tremble before it, the heavens and heavenly virtues, and blessed seraphim, with common jubilee glorify it; together with whom we beseech that we may be admitted to join our voices, saying in an humble manner:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CANON.
O ETERNAL and most merciful Father, behold we come to offer thee our homage this day; we desire to adore, praise, and glorify thee, and to give thee thanks for thy great glory, joining our hearts and voices with all thy blessed in heaven, and with thy whole Church upon earth. But acknowledging our great unworthiness and innumerable sins, for which we are heartily sorry and humbly beg thy pardon, We dare not venture to approach thee otherwise than in company of thy Son, our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ, whom thou hast given us to be both our High Priest and Sacrifice. With him, therefore, and through him, we venture to offer thee this sacrifice; to his most sacred intentions we desire to unite ours; and with this offering which he makes of himself, We desire to make an offering of our whole being to thee. With him, and through him, we beseech thee to exalt thy holy Catholic Church throughout the whole world; to maintain her in peace, unity, holiness, and truth; to have mercy on thy servant our Sovereign Pontiff, our Bishop and Clergy, our Rulers, and all that truly fear thee; on our [parents, children], friends and benefactors; on all those whom we have in any way scandalized, injured, or offended, or for whom we are in any other way bound to pray; on all that are in their agony, or under violent temptations, or other necessities, corporal or spiritual; on all our enemies; and, in a word, on all poor sinners; that we may be all converted to thee, and find mercy, through Jesus Christ thy Son; through whom we hope one day to be admitted into the company of all thy saints and elect, whose memory we here celebrate, whose prayers we desire, and with whom we communicate in these holy mysteries.
AT THE ELEVATION OF THE HOST.
HAIL, eternally, most sacred flesh of Christ, to me before all, and above all, sweetness supreme! The body of our Lord Jesus Christ be to me, a sinner, the way and the life! Amen.
AT THE ELEVATION OF THE CHALICE.
HAIL, eternally, heavenly drink, to me before all, and above all, sweetness supreme! The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ profit me, a sinner, as an eternal remedy, unto life everlasting. Amen.
AT THE ELEVATION.
A VICTIM of Salvation! Eternal King! Incarnate Word! sacrificed for me, and all mankind! Precious body of the Son of God! Sacred flesh, torn with nails, pierced with a lance, and bleeding on a cross, for us poor sinners! Amazing goodness! infinite love! O let that tender love lead now on my behalf: let all my iniquities be here effaced, and my name be written in the Book of Life. I believe in thee; I hope in thee; I love thee. To thee be honour, praise, glory, and benediction, for ever and ever. Amen.
O sacred Blood, flowing from the wounds of Jesus Christ, and washing away the sins of the world! cleanse, sanctify, and preserve my soul, that nothing may ever separate me from thee. Behold, O eternal Father, thy only begotten Son, and look upon the face of thy Christ, in whom thou art well pleased. Hear the voice of his Blood, crying out to thee, not for vengeance, but for mercy and pardon. Accept this divine oblation, and through the infinite merits of all the sufferings that Jesus endured on the cross for our salvation, be pleased to look upon us, and upon all thy people, with an eye of mercy. Have mercy on us, dear Jesus, and grant that thy Blood may not be shed in vain for us, we humbly beseech thee. Amen.
AFTER THE ELEVATION.
LOOK down now, O Lord, we beseech thee, upon this sacred Victim, which was once offered to thee upon the cross, and is now daily offered to thee. Remember that thy only begotten Son, for us poor sinners, was conceived and born into this world; that he suffered a bitter agony and sweat of blood; for us he was betrayed into the hands of sinners, buffeted, spit upon, and in many ways abused; for us he was scourged at a pillar, crowned with thorns, and nailed to the cross; for us he died, and for us he triumphed over death by his resurrection, and he opened heaven for us by his ascension. We desire gratefully to commemorate all these mysteries this day, in the oblation of this pure and holy sacrifice. Oh! look not on our sins, but on the infinite ransom paid for them. And whilst we offer it here below upon our altars, do thou receive it upon thy altar above, from the hands of the Angel of the great Council, the eternal Priest; and from thence send down thy blessing upon all of us, who here below assist at thy divine mysteries: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ANOTHER PRAYER.
LOOK down, O Lord, from thy sanctuary, and from the high habitation of heaven, and behold this sacred Victim, which our great High Priest, thine own Son, the Lord Jesus, immolates unto thee for the sins of his brethren, and be propitious to the multitude of our iniquities. Behold, the voice of the blood of Jesus, our Brother, crieth to thee from the cross! Graciously hear, O Lord; be appeased, O Lord; hearken, and do not delay for thy own sake, my God, because thy name is invoked upon this city, and upon thy people; and do with us according to thy mercy.
AT THE MEMENTO FOR THE DEAD.
REMEMBER also, O Lord, thy servants who are gone before us with the sign of faith, and repose in the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech thee, a place of rest, light, and peace: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
AT THE NOBIS QUOQUE PECCATORIBUS.
WE humbly implore thy mercy, O Lord, for ourselves also: we beg pardon for all our sins; we desire to detest them, and to renounce them for ever. All our hope is in the multitude of thy tender mercies, from which we confidently expect forgiveness, through Jesus Christ; and to be one day, through him, admitted into the company of the blessed apostles and martyrs, in thy heavenly paradise. In the meantime we desire to offer thee daily, through him, all honour and glory.
AT THE PATER NOSTER.
INSTRUCTED by thy saving precepts, and following thy divine directions, we presume to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our offences, as we forgive them who offend us; and lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Deliver us from those evils which we labour under at present; from past evils, which can be nothing but our manifold sins; and from the evils to come, which will be the just chastisement of our offences, if our prayers, and those more powerful ones of thy saints, who intercede for us, intercept not thy justice, or excite not thy bounty.
AT THE BREAKING OF THE HOST.
THY body was broken, and thy blood was shed for us; grant that the commemoration of this holy mystery may obtain for us peace; and that those who receive it may find everlasting rest.
AT THE AGNUS DEI.
LAMB of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takesh away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
AFTER THE AGNUS DEI, SAY:
In saying to thy apostles, my peace I leave you, my peace I give you, thou hast promised, O Lord, to all thy Church, that peace which the world cannot give—peace with thee, and peace with ourselves.
Let nothing, O Lord, ever interrupt this holy peace; let nothing separate us from thee, to whom we heartily desire to be united through this blessed Sacrament of peace and reconciliation. Let this food of angels strengthen us in every Christian duty, so as never more to yield under temptation, or fall into our common weaknesses.
AT THE DOMINE, NON SUM DIGNUS, SAY THRICE:
LORD, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.
DURING THE ABLUTIONS AND POST COMMUNION, MAKE A SPIRITUAL COMMUNION AS FOLLOWS.
O MY divine Saviour! I fervently adore thee in this sacred and venerable sacrament; I love thee with all the affections of my heart, and I hope with confidence in that infinite goodness which induces thee to remain among us. O that I could this moment enjoy the happiness of really communicating! O that I could this day receive that precious body which was once sacrificed for my love, and that adorable blood which flowed from thy sacred veins to wash away the sins of the world! But, alas! I am most unworthy of so great a favour. I do not deserve to receive thee, O God of all sanctity! Yet I ardently desire to do so, and I humbly conjure thee to accept this desire, and to give thyself to me by the influence of thy all-powerful grace. Come, O my God! my only Good! come to me, for I now offer thee my whole heart, most ardently desiring that it should belong to thee for whose love it was created, and whose love can alone make it truly happy. I now consecrate and present to thee all my thoughts, words, and actions, from this moment to the happy day of my next communion, in union with thy infinite merits, and as a preparation for that great happiness. O my God, I already look forward to it with joy, and I beg of thee most earnestly to grant me such purity of heart, and such fervent dispositions in approaching to thy holy table, that each communion may produce in my soul an increase of thy fear and love, and strengthen me to perform the exalted duties of a true Christian, in whatever situation of life thy providence shall hereafter place me.
A SPIRITUAL COMMUNION.
O MY sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, thou art my Sovereign Good, the Fountain of all Good, my God and my All. I most firmly believe, that for us sinners, and for our salvation, thou wast pleased to come down from heaven, to take upon thee, by the mystery of thy incarnation, our human nature, and to become one of us, that so thou mightest be our High Priest and our Victim. I most firmly believe that thou offeredst thyself upon the cross a sacrifice for us all, after having suffered man cruel torments for us; and that by thy glorious resurrection and admirable ascension, thou hast opened the gates of heaven for us. I most firmly believe, that in these sacred mysteries thou art truly and really present, and that thy sacred body and blood are here offered up in sacrifice, and verily and indeed received by the faithful in remembrance of thy death. Oh! how happy are those souls who worthily receive thee in this divine sacrament. Oh! what graces, what sanctity do they receive from this fountain of all sanctity. Oh! that I were so happy as to approach this day to thy heavenly banquet, and to feed on the food of life, the bread of angels! But, alas! I am the most wretched of all sinners, who, from my first coming to the use of reason, till this hour, have in innumerable ways offended thee, my God. My soul is overspread with an universal leprosy, covered on all sides with ulcers, and unclean and filthy beyond measure, and therefore, infinitely unworthy to approach to the Lord of all purity and sanctity. In this lamentable state that I am, I dare not so much as look up to thine altar, much less approach to it, but with eyes and heart cast down, and with a deep sense of my manifold treasons, and great unworthiness, I humbly beg pardon of thee for all my sins, and implore thy mercy. Oh! merciful Saviour, have compassion on me, and suffer me at least to sigh after thee; and though I am unworthy of thine embraces, permit me, like the penitent Magdalen, to present myself at least before thy feet, and wash them in spirit with my tears! Oh! may thy sacred blood, which thou hast shed for all sinners, cleanse my poor soul this day from all its filth. Oh! come to me, dear Lord, in spirit, and take possession of all the powers of my soul. Oh! let me be thine, and thou mine from henceforth and for ever; and grant that nothing in life or death may ever separate me from thee any more. In this one prayer, hear me, O Lord, and in all things else do with me what thou wilt.
AFTER THE COMMUNION.
I RETURN thee now most hearty thanks, O my God, through Jesus Christ thy Son, that thou hast been pleased to deliver him up to death for us, and to give us his body and blood, both as a sacrament and a sacrifice, in these holy mysteries; at which thou hast permitted me, a most unworthy sinner, to assist this day. May heaven. and earth bless and praise thee for ever, for all thy mercies. Oh! pardon me, dear Lord, all my distractions, and the manifold negligences which I have been guilty of this day in thy sight; and let me not depart without thy benediction. Behold, I desire from this moment to give up myself, and all that belongs to me, into thy hands; and I beg that all my undertakings, all my thoughts, words, and actions, may henceforward tend to thy glory: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN.
IN the beginning was the Word, and the VVord was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men; and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them he gave power to be made the sons of God; to them that believe in his name; who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
A PRAYER AFTER MASS.
I RENDER thee all possible praise and thanks, O sovereign Creator, for the favour I have this day received of thy bounty, and of which many better deserving Christians are deprived. Receive, O Lord, my unworthy prayers, supply all my defects, pardon all my distractions and indevotions, and grant that, by the strength and virtue of these divine mysteries, may go on cheerfully in the path of thy commandments, love, and service, amidst all the temptations, troubles, and dangers of my life’s pilgrimage, till I shall one day happily arrive at thy heavenly kingdom, where, with thy blessed angels and saints, I shall more clearly contemplate thee, more perfectly enjoy thee, and more worthily celebrate thy infinite goodness and mercy with uninterrupted canticles of eternal praise, admiration, and gratitude. Amen.